Love Stories
by DCSR392
Summary: One-shots dedicated to Shinichi and Ran. Chapter 5: Waiting for you.
1. Unspoken

Hi! Well, I'd like to say that I am a fanfic writer, but the truth is that I was, 10 years ago. But with the last developments in DC, my muse returned and demanded I wrote this short scene you're about to read, if you don't hate me already for rambling xD Also, bear in mind that I am not a native English speaker, so there may be some mistakes! And if you find some, please let me know so that I can correct them! That said, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it! =D

 **Disclaimer:** not mine. I wish, but DC and its fantastic characters are not mine.

* * *

 **Title** : **Unspoken**

 **Characters** : Shinichi and Ran

 **Summary** : With the organization defeated and a Sherlock Holmes book in his hands, _ordinary_ was slowly but surely coming back.

 **Genre** : Hurt and comfort

* * *

It was a fairly good day. Not a cloud in the sky, birds chirping, sun shining bright… Not much to complain about, really, although he could make a list of items that he felt were due him. He wasn't going to claim them, or at least not anytime soon, because an argument like that could get him killed. He had messed up with Karma enough as it was. After several months of sorrow and regret, tears and lies, and the last few days full of suffering and tainted with blood, things were beginning to fall right back into place. He felt like he could take over the world, but somehow today he fancied a good book and his coffee black. He hadn't fully recovered yet, but _ordinary_ was on its way. At the moment, home was safe. All was well.

Thus, our hero laid on the sofa, immersed, for the umpteenth time, in the frenetic chase that led to closure in _The Sign of the Four_. The silence in his house was deafening, but his ears perked up upon hearing the jingling of keys near the front door. He didn't need to see the face of the visitor to know who it was, since he would recognise the steps of that person even if he was drugged to the teeth. His heart picked up its pace at the prospect of seeing her, and a slight smile began tugging at his lips when said person knocked on the door of the library.

"Hi Ran!" he said, not even looking up from his book, trying to appear nonchalant even if he was actually a little nervous.

"Hi Shi…" her cheerful expression shifted to surprise and then, anger. "Shinichi!"

The smiled wiped off his face immediately.

"What?" he said in dismay, realising a second too late that _maybe_ , _just maybe_ he should have closed the book and looked at her which, actually, was the thing that he had actually wanted to do all along.

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked, pointing to the still open book.

"What do you mean, what am I doing?" He went on the defensive, not really sure of where this could lead.

"You're reading Sherlock Holmes!"

"So?"

Ran scoffed. She wasn't mad in the slightest, but she did think he deserved a little bit of the old bantering just to make up for the secrets that had been disclosed over the last few days.

"So? Don't you remember what we discussed last week about reading Sherlock Holmes?" she asked, sitting on the sofa while he sat upright.

"Hmmm... Of all the things that we should have talked about, are you really saying that we got to Sherlock Holmes before everything else?"

"Yes! Shinichi, you can't expect me to trust you again if you break the single most important promise you have made since I _know_..."

That was a complete, utter, blatant lie. He hadn't been able to speak properly at the hospital that day, and much less discuss anything about his favourite fictional character, but he didn't need to know that.

"Which was...?"

"That you wouldn't open a Sherlock Holmes book even if Gin returned from the dead and pointed a gun at you again!"

"Okay, you're lying, and that is hugely and grossly unfair. Sure, I was high from the anaesthesia, and I might have said some things I don't fully remember, but I am sure _that_ was not one of them."

Ran quirked her eyebrow, and he knew he had lost the battle before it even started. He still pressed, trying to salvage what was left of his pride.

"Okay, maybe I did say that I wouldn't drown in my dad's library... much... But only after I recovered my original body and could go out like a normal person."

Ran still wasn't convinced, but she was determined not to give in. In a moment of weakness, she made the mistake of looking at him, and then, he looked her in the eyes, without the glasses, and it was painful for her to see how worn out he seemed. She was close to ending the charade when he finally sighed, defeated.

"I'm sorry. I was just passing the time, until Haibara finished up the antidote... I needed the distraction, and you weren't here".

The words were out of his mouth before his brain actually processed them, and he knew instantly that _that_ little not-quite accusation had not been the best course of action given the circumstances.

"So this is my fault", she stated with her brows knitted, anger building. Seeing the kinda-puppy-dog's-eye-I-sorta-love-you-I'm-sorry look he was giving her, however, she failed miserably. "I wasn't even mad to start with, but I think that you should grovel a bit more before you get to read Sherlock Holmes. It is a privilege that you have to earn back".

The eyes and mouth in Conan's face opened wide in sudden understanding.

"I know what this is! You're getting revenge!"

Caught, Ran sighed, deflated.

"Ugh! Honestly! I'm just trying to distract you from cases and murders and robberies!" she said, feigning hurt. "Haven't you had enough of those already?"

He sighed again, giving in.

"Yeah... You're right. Now I only wish for the simple things. I want my life back, but not the superstar-detective life, I want the Shinichi-Kudo-simple-teenager life back. I want a working antidote, I want to sleep until 11 am just so that you can wake me up by ringing the bell, I want to go to school and get teased…"

"Are you getting a fever?" interrupted Ran, lifting her hand to touch his forehead.

"No! I'm serious, for once," he nearly yelled, annoyed that she was making fun of him while he was being honest. "I need Conan to disappear once and for all, and I'm closer than ever now." He hesitated for a moment, but finally took her hand while blushing bright red. "And I would like to hold your hand once in a while if that's alright, not only when it's cold."

"Wow, you are definitely getting a fever." Ran was also blushing, but her smile could light up the entire night sky.

"Please, Ran! I just want my life back!" he cried, covering his face with his free hand in frustration. "And since you weren't here, Sherlock Holmes provided a sense of normalcy, I guess."

"Well, now I am."

He smiled sincerely while looking at her, thankful for every little thing she did. Ran couldn't hold his gaze, overwhelmed, so she looked at all the shelves in the library and sighed. Their hands remained intertwined, and a comfortable silence ensued. Without any apparent reason, Ran held his hand a little tighter, and he noticed how his heart skipped a beat. Ran was at his side now, and it didn't matter so much that he still was living in the body of a 7-year-old.

She interrupted his train of thought.

"It is really weird, you know, to hear _you_ and know it's _you_ even though you're still Conan-kun. All the inflections, the intonation, the sarcasm is there, but you don't look or sound like you. In my mind I still see Conan-kun, and I'm still hurt, but I am so glad you stayed."

"I know. I'm really sorry I had to lie to you all this time. I will make it up to you, I promise".

"It's okay," Ran said, while she shook her head. "We'll get through this, together. Aren't you going to miss it, though?"

"What is there to miss? Being a child, needing your help all the time, or going on crazy adventures with the Detective Boys? Ha, no, definitely no," replied Conan, while laughing self-deprecatingly.

"I'm sure it had its perks, sometimes. School was easy, and everyone loved you."

"I didn't need everyone to love me," he stated, while a silent _just you_ hang in the air, unspoken. Ran quirked an eyebrow once again, disbelievingly, because nothing could get past her. "Well, maybe it had some good moment, but it's not worth it. Starting today, I will work hard to get the best of both worlds."

He didn't elaborate, but she understood all the same. A smirk similar to the ones he used to pull began showing, hoping to break some of her barricades, and she gripped his hand a little tighter while giggling a little. He could be so _Shinichi_ sometimes. Then, he chuckled remembering something.

"Why were you so worked up when you entered?" asked Conan.

"I wasn't!" He raised an eyebrow, questioning her. Nothing could get past him either. "Okay, you're not entirely off for all the lying. Yet." Ran confessed.

"I knew it was revenge!"

"Hush, it's not revenge. It's a very-well-deserved punishment."

"Whatever you want to call it…" He couldn't hold back his laughter now, and she soon followed. These were the little things he wanted back. Step by step, he was finding his way back to himself, to her, and, while waiting for the definitive antidote, he couldn't ask for anything else.

* * *

So, how was it? You hated it? I'd love to hear from you guys! Thank you very much for stopping by!

With love,  
DCSR392.


	2. Strong, stubborn, gentle and sensitive

Hi! Thank you for your reviews and favourites and follows, they really kept me going! I'm glad to be here once again with new material. Be warned, this is another hurt/comfort angsty-fluff fic! It kinda follows the first fic of this series, Unspoken, but I think it could stand alone if you haven't read it. And there are some tiny but very relevant references (spoiler alert!) about the file 1000 series of the manga (which you should definitely read, if you haven't already).

Once again, take into account that I'm not a native English speaker, so if you detect anything that needs correcting, don't hesitate to tell me.

Nothing more to say, enjoy! :)

 **Disclaimer:** not mine. I wish, but DC and its fantastic characters are not mine.

* * *

 **Title** : **Strong, stubborn, gentle and sensitive**

 **Characters** : Shinichi and Ran

 **Summary** : "I'll let you be at my side, but you have to promise something too: not to cry."

 **Genre** : hurt and comfort

* * *

"Thank you for being here." Conan said, out of the blue, when they came down of the giggling-without-any-apparent-reason competition. "I really haven't said it much, but I guess being small has taught two or three things to the arrogant jerk I was."

"You don't need to be that hard on yourself," Ran replied, in all her good-hearted grace. "I do forgive you, because I know that you would never hurt me if it wasn't absolutely necessary."

"But still… I hurt you, and I would have understood if you had karate'd me into oblivion and then walked away from me."

"It was never going to happen, mister," she replied. "We have a solid relationship –ah, friendship, I mean," Ran corrected, flustered, "and it can and will withstand anything fate will throw our way. You won't get rid of me that easily," she added, with a little blushing smile.

"Not that I would want to…"

Heart pounding strongly in his chest, he was glad he had gathered all his courage to articulate those 6 words out loud, even if it had been quietly, when he saw the beautiful smile she was giving him.

There were thousands of things that he wished they could talk out, that were burning his tongue, but it was Kudo Shinichi who had to take part in that conversation, not Edogawa Conan. He had to be patient, and trust that it would only get better from now on. Any moment now Haibara could come knocking…

"What are you thinking?" asked Ran while squeezing his hand tighter, waking him up from his reverie.

And just like that, there was the dreaded knock on the door.

"Hello, Kudo-kun, Ran-san," said the little scientist solemnly, while entering the library. "I bring you good news, I think. The antidote is ready."

"Yes! Haibara, thank you!" yelled Conan, excited. He was up from the sofa in a flash, bringing out his hand so that Haibara could give him the pill.

"I should inform you that, for the change to be permanent, I had to alter the composition of the antidote a little," said Haibara, while dropping the pill in his hand. "Therefore, it is possible that the transformation will be worse than the others you have experienced."

"How much worse?" asked Ran, worry etched on her face. She walked to where the shrunken teenagers were, kneeling on the floor.

"I cannot tell you exactly. It is just a possibility. Perhaps this change is the easier yet, perhaps it's not." Haibara answered, with a mildly apologetic look directed at Ran. Those words didn't appease the karate champion in the slightest, but Conan was quicker than her brain-to-mouth connection.

"It will be okay, Ran, you'll see, it has to be," he assured, smiling.

"Well, that said, I will leave you to your own devices," said Haibara, already grabbing the door. "Come see me when you are back, Kudo Shinichi."

When the door closed after her, Shinichi feared the worst, and he was right. Shinichi and Ran hadn't known each other their whole lives for nothing.

"Shinichi, please…" begged Ran, holding both his hands in hers and forcing him to look at her.

"Ran, I know what you're going to say, but _you know_ that my answer is no. I can't live as Conan anymore, I _can't_. I need to be back to myself…"

"I can wait 10 years for you!" she replied.

"It's not about that. I understand that you're worried, and if our roles were reversed, I would wait for you 10 years, even 20, if there was no other option. But there is, _there_ _is_ , and it is right in my hand. And I need to take it, I need to be back, as myself, for you and for myself. Please understand, Ran."

Conan looked at her imploringly, hoping that she could understand in his gaze the desperation he was feeling. He had been living a nightmare entrapped in the body of a child, and now he had the chance to be free, to be himself again. It was not entirely about her, because he knew that their love for each other was powerful enough to overcome the flow of time or any other hardship; it was for him. She would have fought a little more, but she understood when she looked at him, without the need of words. She sighed, accepting defeat.

"Okay, okay. You win. But I have one request, and you can't say no," she declared.

"What is it?" Conan questioned, knowing that he was not going to like this one bit.

"I want to be at your side when it happens," he was already opening his mouth to counterattack, but this time she was faster. "No, please, let me finish. Just as you need to come back, I need to _see_ you come back. I want to be there for you, hold your hand, run for help if you need it. Haibara said this transformation could be the hardest yet, and you will not go through it alone."

"But Ran… Even if it's not the worst, it'll be painful, and you don't need to see that. I promised you at that restaurant that, someday, I would definitely come back, even if I was dead, and that's why I wanted you to wait for me. Well, I'm not dead, and I'm fulfilling my promise now. All the pain in the world is worth it, Ran, if it brings me back to you," he smiled sweetly, his eyes full of devotion and love, in the same way that he had done sometimes before Conan had stumbled in their lives, when she hadn't been looking. With those words, even if they were true, he had fully intended to distract her, but the look that Ran was giving him told him he hadn't succeeded at all. "Ran, please, you can't ask this of me," he pleaded.

"Shinichi, I'm sorry to say this, but… I need to be there with you, or else I'm going to be outside your door, screaming with every scream you let out. We're in this together," Ran said, cradling his face to look at him directly in the eyes. After a moment, she looked away, hesitating. "And also, I need to see you come back. I know you're Shinichi, but I _need_ to really _see_ it to wrap my mind about it."

"But Ran, that doesn't make any sense!"

"You turning into a child doesn't make sense either, Shinichi!" she said, desperation rising her voice.

"But! Please, Ran, it can be really painful to experience, and even more to see," he pleaded, desperate now, because he felt his determination crumbling upon gazing at her eyes.

"I know, but all the more reason… I don't like to see you suffer, but… I'm your girlfriend now, aren't I? You said so after Kyoto. What would it make me if I couldn't be at your side at your lowest –shortest?" asked Ran, knowing that she was very close to winning this argument. He laughed at her correction, in spite of himself.

"Agh, okay," he accepted finally. "Man, I don't know what I'm going to do with you and your stubbornness someday… I'll let you be at my side, but you have to promise something too: not to cry."

"Deal!" and her smile was so bright that he couldn't help but smile back. Excited, she threw her arms around him, not really remembering that he usually felt awkward during those weak moments, but she didn't care. She rejoiced when she felt his little arms going around her, and his nose inhaling the scent of her hair. It was comfortable, safe. Even if he thought that she had suffered enough and didn't want to add anything more to that pile, he realised that he couldn't have said no to anything she asked. If he really thought about it, he had been always at her command, had always been wrapped around her fingers, and she knew it fully well and sometimes even saw fit to use that power to get her way, but he wouldn't have her any other way. That was his Ran: strong, stubborn, gentle and sensitive.

"Okay," he repeated, taking a step to separate them and grabbing her shoulders with incredible force. "Moment of truth!" Conan declared, putting his best childish smile at display.

He went up to his room to change into adult-fitting clothes, as he didn't want to make things any more uncomfortable. A few minutes later, he returned to the sofa, where he sat upright. No more words were necessary. He was trying his best to hide it, but Ran's eyes were able to see clearly that his shoulders were tense and his breathing was a little quicker than usual. He wasn't walking into this blindly, he knew where taking the pill could lead, but he was truly confident it was going to be okay. It should, really, with all the obstacles and trials and tribulations they had endured. That pretended optimism of his was contagious, so she had no other choice but to feel that there was no way to go but up, for both their sakes.

His loud sigh pulled her out of her own musings, and he took her hand, smiling at her reassuringly, while he swallowed down the fateful white pill. Few seconds after, he was already sweating, his temperature sky-rocketed, and he grabbed his chest where his heart was, while she rested his body against hers on the sofa, worrying. She knew this was necessary, but that didn't make it any easier to bear. She began chanting random words of encouragement, hugging him with all her might, so even if she couldn't do anything about the pain, she could show him that he was not alone. She watched, equally amazed and horrified, how his body enlarged in fits and starts.

Right in the middle of awkward thirteen, he opened his eyes through the numbness of his mind, and tried his best to smile.

"I'm fine, Ran," he said, through ragged breaths and with a confident smile. At first she didn't know if that was a white lie or it was true. He noticed that she didn't believe him fully, and added "Just humour me. It's almost done."

"I know, you're doing great," she replied, knowing that it was going to be okay if he had the strength to joke around. Putting her hand on his forehead to move away his bangs, she removed some salty sweat drops and the very few tears that had escaped his eyes. She remained stoic, however, since she had promised Shinichi that she wouldn't cry.

At confident fifteen, he let out a horrible scream, of the kind that can freeze one's blood, and he became very still. She held him tighter to her chest, hoping to ease his pain. With the last jerk, he returned to glorious seventeen. He kept breathing, quietly, so Ran knew it was only a matter of time that he would open his eyes. And he did, after what seemed an eternity.

"Hi…" he said, smiling. He became aware of his position, with his head resting on her bust and his legs dangling off the sofa, and he became flustered, but a simple look from Ran told him that she was not going to let him away anytime soon.

"Welcome back, sunshine," and if his face wasn't blushing bad enough already, he was sure he could spontaneously combust right now after hearing her words. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted, but I've been worse. I'll be fine, given time." Shinichi replied, while a ghost of his most charming smile tugged at his lips.

He stared at her, deeply, since nothing but her and her gaze and her smile existed in his world at that moment. With only his eyes, he was making use of their connection to tell her that this chapter of their lives was over, that she needn't worry anymore. She understood, and almost drowned herself in the vibrant blue of his eyes, realising she didn't want to be rescued. However, he noticed that her lips were trembling and that she wasn't as happy as she was letting on, that something was amiss, and his hand came up on his own accord to caress her cheek. He could read her like an open book, and so he smiled sincerely while saying:

"You can cry now if you want, Ran, I won't call you a cry-baby anymore."

Having his permission, not one second had passed that she was bawling like an idiot, not only because of the overwhelming last minutes that had transpired between them, but also because he remembered word for word what he said to her in one of the most precious moments they had ever shared. She couldn't help hugging the life out of him, her arms coming down to embrace his chest and her face resting on his neck, while she cried her eyes out. He was back, and that feeling overwhelmed her. Shinichi put his arms around her and started combing his fingers through her hair, in a response that had come naturally. He was glad that his body could provide the warmth she needed, and that he could be enjoying this kind of closeness for the very first time with not one regret holding him back. It was his turn, now, to recite quiet words of reassurance. She relaxed little by little, and somehow, her sad tears changed into happy tears, and prompted a teary laughter along the way, and these were wholeheartedly welcomed by Shinichi.

She lifted her face, locking her eyes with him. Her bright red brimming eyes and crimson cheeks enhanced her ethereal beauty, and he gave in to the temptation. They needed this, it was solely theirs and they deserved it. Trying his hardest to tone down the butterflies in his stomach and the loud erratic beating of his heart, he applied a tiny pressure on the nape of her neck to bring her back down, meeting her lips with his in a very sweet and innocent gesture. Her eyes widened, but she closed them a second later to indulge in this wonderful new feeling. Their two wounded hearts had finally reunited, and they were healing each little prick, each little scar, just by being together.

Maybe following Gin down that alley had not been his best decision, and maybe everything that happened afterwards had been a nightmare that he wouldn't even wish to the cruellest of his enemies. He understood that every little thing he did, which was for her and her only, had been leading to this, to them being finally together. And even if he would have paid all the money in the world to avoid hurting Ran, he knew that Conan was necessary: it had been his wake up call. Conan had set his priorities straight, and so every tear, every sleepless night had been worth it if it meant that now he could spend every minute of the rest of his life with her. They belonged together, after all. He was willing, and he would give his life to make her the happiest woman in the world. And, upon looking at her face, seeing the brightest, most beautiful, most-Ran smile that she was dedicating him, so similar to the one that had strummed his heartstrings that blessed day 14 years ago, he knew he wouldn't change a thing.

* * *

Yaaay, the fluff. I'm addicted to this pairing. They have suffered so much, and they deserve a break, Gosho, give them a proper real kiss! Maybe there was a little bit of OOC on both parts, but somehow, I can see Ran insisting on being with him in the final transformation, because she wants to be there for him (and not because she wants to see it, that was just an excuse because he was being difficult). Also, about the effect of the antidote, I think it is plausible that the final antidote takes a little more time to transform him, but based on the file 1000 series, in which the effect was pretty quick and apparently not as painful as the previous ones, I tried to compromise. Well, I wouldn't be able to make him suffer much, so...

Sorry, I was rambling again... I hope you liked it, nonetheless!

I promise I'll try not to make the next story a hurt/comfort one... I'm trying, belive me!

Thank you for your wonderful reviews. Hope to see you again this time!

With love,

DCSR392.


	3. How would you feel?

Hi! Thank you for your lovely reviews on the last chapter, I really appreciate it!

So, now onto this chapter! Ever since the first moment I listened to _How would you feel_ , by Ed Sheeran, the lyrics stuck in my mind and I couldn't help but thinking that this song is one of many that could describe Shinichi and Ran's relationship. And this is the result of my daydreaming and rewatching the Special Episode One. Also, today is Shinichi's birthday, so I thought that it was high time that Shinichi got a break! Happy birthday, Shinichi!

Hope you like it! :)

 **Disclaimer:** not mine. I wish, but DC and its fantastic characters are not mine. _How would you feel_ , by Ed Sheeran is not mine either.

* * *

 **Title** : **How would you feel?**

 **Characters** : Shinichi and Ran

 **Summary** : "You know how I feel about you…" "But how would you feel if I told you I loved you?"

 **Genre** : Happy lighthearted fluff

 **Inspired by** : _How would you feel_ , by Ed Sheeran

* * *

Without any speck of doubt, Ran trusted Shinichi. Really, she would give her life for him if he so much as asked. She trusted him with her eyes closed, but maybe allowing him to take her for a ride on a Saturdary morning with her eyes _literally_ _blindfolded_ had been taking things a tad too far.

"Can't you tell me where you're taking me? Please!" she implored for the seventh time.

"We're almost there! Be a little bit more patient!" whined Shinichi, realising a second too late that he should definitely not have said that.

"You don't get to lecture me on patience, mister," Ran warned in a low voice.

"Yes, sorry, I know, my bad. But we're almost there, I promise."

Ran only sighed. In less time that she had been expecting, she felt how Shinichi stopped the car and fumbled behind her to remove her blindfold.

"Okay, we're here! You can open your eyes now!"

The excited note of Shinichi's voice had almost put a grin on her face, which crumbled making way to utter horror upon seeing the sign reading _Tropical Land_.

"Honestly, Shinichi, what are we doing here? Again?" Ran asked, while she looked appalled at the entrance door of the much dreaded amusement park.

"I just thought we could repeat our last date –eh, get together" Shinichi replied with a toothy grin, ever the charmer, although the blush from that slip up was evident. "And I promise not to run away for anything, much less for a case, I'll be on my best behaviour and I will take you home when you're tired. How's that sound?"

"Somehow I don't find that entirely convincing… But we'll see if you can keep up the gentleman act!" defied Ran. Now that he had put it like that, she was actually looking forward to this _date-not-date_.

Ever since he had returned from having crushed a massive organization, she hadn't had very much to complain about. True, he had come back from America yesterday night, and actually hadn't wasted a second to text her asking if she wanted to go out with him today, but that was Shinichi sometimes. He could be the most serious of adults when laying out the evidence in a crime scene but, even if he didn't want to acknowledge it, he was an easily-excitable child at heart.

"Do you want to have breakfast? My treat!" he suggested.

"Mm, yes, yes…" replied Ran, still deep in her thoughts.

"What? You still sleeping?" he laughed.

Of course, he wouldn't be Shinichi if he didn't tease her, or if he didn't pull the old-school cocky smile that he always showed when making fun of her, like he was doing now.

"Come on, caffeine is what you need to get your cortisol going. This way!"

Indeed, he was very happy at heart, and feeling brave he _casually_ put an arm around her. Ran wasn't fooled, that mere gesture meant he had missed her as much as she had missed him. It was reassuring to know that he had.

[…]

With their stomachs full, Ran insisted on going to the fountains again, where this time they counted down together. This had been his present when she had won the Karate competition, so she treasured it as any other material gift he had given her through the years. But she didn't need him to give her any physical present now, just knowing that he was here with her was enough. He was gifted with her little blushing smile in return.

Later, they went to take a ride on the ferris wheel. Shinichi hesitated upon entering the cabin, not knowing if Ran would actually want him to sit by her side or if she'd rather sit face to face, as they had the last time they had been there. He didn't have a way to ask her without embarrassing himself, so he opted to sit in front of her, just in case… Until Ran grabbed his arm and pulled him to her bench, where he sat with a loud thump. He looked so bewildered that Ran laughed, but neither had the courage to say anything about it during the whole ride. They were content with enjoying the magnificent view, side by side. When the cabin stopped, he got up first to exit, and from there he offered a hand so that Ran could take it when going out. His cheeks felt somewhat warmer, but he knew he was definitely blushing when she looked at him gratefully through her long eyelashes.

"I'm surprised we haven't run into a case yet…" casually commented Ran, hoping to break the awkward teenage-love-sick atmosphere they were currently in.

"Do you want to go to the roller coaster now?" suggested Shinichi.

"Where that guy lost his head?"

"Yes! I promise, there will be no murders this time."

"Call me sceptical, but I think that's not up to you…"

"What did you expect me to tell you, then? That we've only been here two hours so it could still very well happen?" asked him, incredulously.

"Would you shut up? Don't jinx it, Shinichi!"

"Why are you scolding me? You said it first!"

"Oh my gosh! Are you Kudo Shinichi?" a voice interrupted their banter.

Slowly, they turned around to see the excited-looking fangirl that was devouring Shinichi with her eyes.

"Yes, it is?" he asked, fearful.

"Can you sign? Can you give me your number? Oh my gosh, I love you so much!" she said in a rush in a very annoying bubbly way.

"Ahm. Well, it was nice meeting you, but we gotta go. Ran, run!"

Shinichi grabbed Ran's wrist and fled the scene, almost dragging her. When they arrived at the queue of the roller coaster and caught their breaths, Ran breathed in and out before admonishing him.

"Shinichi, you shouldn't have done it! What will she think of you now?" Ran asked, perplexed that he had willingly avoided a chance to boost up his ego.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't feeling up to that. I wanted a quiet day with you, and she would have caused a commotion. Did you hear how loud she was?" explained Shinichi, with a disbelieving frown.

"You owe some attention to your fans, you're a national hero now."

"I owe _you_ " he emphasized " _that_ attention. It's you who missed me all this time I was investigating the Black Organization, not her."

That did shut Ran up, and he was very proud that he had achieved such a remarkable feat.

She was not about to admit it, but Ran was very glad that he hadn't mentioned anything about Sherlock Holmes during the morning, and much less held hands with random strangers just to prove a point. Then they found themselves seated on the train of the roller coaster. She didn't know how to show him how grateful she was, because that last statement of his had her heart doing flip-flops still, but he seemed to understand what she wanted to say and needed just by looking at her. He put his hand above hers as she had done the last time they had been on the ride, and smiled sincerely, making her smile as well. Honestly, the connection they shared made things much easier.

Surprisingly enough, the ride went smoothly.

[…]

As luck would have it, Shinichi and Ran did run into a robbery case in the cafeteria where they were having lunch. After a girl screamed about her wallet being taken, which coincidentally was the same crazy fangirl that had stopped them earlier, Shinichi started fidgeting in his seat.

"You can go check it out, if you want, Mr. Detective."

"But Ran… I promised you I wouldn't leave you for a case. Besides, it's the same girl!"

"So what? You're a professional! And I'm not going to run away or hide, so you can go do your thing."

"Okay, fine, I'll go," he sighed, defeated. He didn't really need a case right now, not when he wanted to show Ran where his priorities currently stood.

"Actually, Shinichi, before you go, promise me that you will come back when you're done. And that you won't get seduced by her," added Ran, frowning, stopping him by grabbing his arm.

"Just in case you didn't know, I thought _we_ were dating. I do promise to come back, though," he said, with a small smile. "Wish me luck…"

Apparently, it shouldn't have been a very difficult case to crack. Shinichi had gathered nearly all the evidence when he walked right back to their table, frustrated, while Ran got up to meet him halfway.

"I know which three people could have done it, but I'm stuck because I can't find the actual wallet," he said, while ruffling his hair.

"Oh, maybe they threw it away? Usually thieves don't care about a wallet, they care about what's inside…"

"Yes, that's it! How could I be such an idiot? Thank you, Ran!" he squeezed her, and she couldn't be any more startled.

Indeed, the thief had kept the items inside a hidden pocket on a plastic coffee cup. Feeling cornered, he had no choice but to return the items to the previous owner, who was currently jumping and trying to hug Shinichi, with very little luck on her part.

Although Ran had been the one to provide the final clue to solve the case, like a real-life Watson would have done for Holmes, she stood on the side-lines waiting for Shinichi to wrap the case in all his former glory. When the criminal confessed that he had needed the money to pay for a large gambling debt, the case was closed. He came back to her smiling like a child, proud of what he had done, even if it had been a very tiny case.

"Shall we continue our date?" asked Shinichi, a tad nervous about using the word _date_.

"We shall," Ran replied with a smile, taking his arm.

[…]

Having walked through the park all day, they decided that they deserved a five-minute break on a bench, marvelling at how the sky was shifting slowly to red and orange. Their date was approaching its end, but they didn't want to think about that.

"Hey, do you want to see the fireworks and then we go home?"

"Yes, we could," replied Ran.

They found a spot to fit the two of them in the sea of people that were already looking up to the sky, awaiting the first whistles.

Without any warning, he gathered all his guts to take hold of her hand and weaved his fingers through hers, in a move she hadn't realised he was bold enough to do. This was different from all they had shared throughout the day. This hand-holding was warm, comfortable, and it sent a tingling feeling to both their stomach and shy blushes to their cheeks. Yes, they were boyfriend and girlfriend, and they were entitled to this kind of touches, but it was one thing to discuss the status of their relationship by phone and it was another to actually act according to it. Years and years of hidden feelings had built walls in which the teasing and worried-best-friend glances were accepted. However, blush by blush, word by word, and touch by touch, these walls were coming down, and they knew that they couldn't hold it in much more.

"Do you… Do you mind?" he asked, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes, while a monumental blush tinted his cheeks.

"Not at all," Ran replied, with similar blush and looking at the sky. She squeezed his hand, unable to say anything more.

Shinichi stared at her. She was beautiful, and even more with her eyes so bright, so happy, and her face bathed in the light of the fireworks. He didn't know how he had been so lucky to find her, nor what he had done to deserve her, but he intended to treasure her like the unique flower she was.

Out of the blue, there was a louder crack than expected, which startled Ran. She didn't know how, but she ended up in front of Shinichi, back to front, while his arms had moved to her waist to steady her.

"Sorry!"

"It's okay."

Ran relaxed, and noticed that she could support her body on his, and that looking at the sky was much easier if she used his shoulder. She did, while his arms encircled her even further and pulled her closer to his body. They were so close that she could feel every breath he took against the side of her face, and she also felt the quick beating of his heart resounding in her back, as loud as he surely felt hers.

This, right here, felt like home to him. Ran. He did need to come clean about what he wanted to happen between them. He wouldn't wait anymore. And, when the show finished, Shinichi knew it was now or never.

"I need to tell you something," he announced, while he untangled his arms from her waist so that she could turn around and look at him directly.

He was visibly struggling with whatever he wanted to say.

"Ran, I… In London, I…" he began, not really knowing how to continue.

"Is it that you don't know how to ask?" Ran asked, trying to display a calm composure to help him a little.

"No, well… I know what I want to ask, but you know I'm not very good at this kind of thing…" he sighed, trying to disentangle the knot in his throat.

"You know how I feel about you…" she offered.

"But how would you feel if I told you I loved you?" rushed Shinichi, with his eyes closed and bracing himself for the worst.

Ran's eyes widened. She had expected Shinichi to feel a kind of liking. Even in her wildest dreams, she hadn't ever dared to dream that he could love her. She was still trying to process what he had confessed, but, having said nothing, he understood that she didn't love him back.

"I'm sorry… I knew I shouldn't have said that so soon. It's just something that I wanted to do, because I feel that what I feel for you will burst my heart because I love you," he said in a rush, angry at himself because he was rambling. "I love you, Ran, so much," he added with a wishful smile, while brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "Even if it's just a liking that you feel, I will be taking my time and spend my life so that I can fall deeper in love with you and I can make you fall in love with me as much a–"

Coming back to her senses, Ran grabbed the collar of his jacket to bring him down, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. It didn't develop very much, but one of his arms came up to lose itself in her hair and the other gripped her waist, while hers pulled him even closer. He was left breathless at the end.

"I love you too, Shinichi."

"You do?" asked him, with happy eyes, his arms still encircling her waist.

Ran answered him by kissing him again.

The rest of the evening was spent in quiet whispers, hand in hand, until he suggested that he should probably take her back home, because he didn't want to be murdered at the hands of his father-in-law. Ran agreed, although not one ounce of her wanted this night to end.

Shinichi stopped the car in front of the Detective Agency, and went to open her door.

"Wow, you really are acting the gentleman part. I'm impressed!" retorted Ran.

"Don't mock me, I could still be a jerk if you push it too much" Shinichi replied, closing the door of the car and halting at the end of the stairs, where she was waiting.

She only smiled at him brightly. Shinichi took her hands in his, and was going to say a quiet _good night_ when she interrupted him.

"Was I really that tough to crack?" When he looked at her confusedly, she elaborated. "In London, you said…"

"Yeah, you are really troublesome," he interrupted, having understood what she meant. He squeezed her hands, demanding her attention. "You are my toughest case. No one could accurately deduce what's in the heart of the girl whom one _loves_. But I want to keep working, I want to keep trying, I want to keep searching for every detail so that I can know everything there is to know about you, and still discover many things more so that you'll never cease to amaze me. I'm ecstatic that I won't be able to close you, ever. I want you to be impossible to figure out, I want you to be endless. I really wouldn't want to solve you for anything in the world."

"Wow, that confession earlier really loosened up your tongue!" said Ran with a chuckle, because she didn't know how to react to his last words. She didn't know if she could hold back her tears if she actually acknowledged what he had said, so she was bracing herself to jump and kiss him senseless when he talked.

"You're my _Irene Adler_ ," he ended with a cheeky grin, unfazed by her comment.

At last, there it was. The dreaded Sherlock Holmes reference. And such a unique way of his to break up a moment. She couldn't help but to laugh openly at that, while he waited patiently, though evidently blushing, for her to finish. Only he would add something Holmes-related to a confession. He was incorrigible.

"You are such a _suiri otaku_."

She sighed exasperatedly, but there was no real malice in her words. She wouldn't have him any other way.

* * *

I really wish you won't hate me for the fluff, but I really cannot help it! I usually have a good idea for them acting like best friends, teasing, flirting and all that, but then they come and demand I write them acting like boyfriend and girlfriend and madly in love. I'd like to resist, honestly, but they pull the puppy look and I'm down. I really hope you liked it!

This might be the last chapter I post in a while, because life is catching up to me, but I might have one or two ideas for longer fics. We'll see how that goes!

If anyone is interested in giving me prompts, go right ahead in the box below! :)

And thank you again for sending your wonderful opinions. I'd like to read what you thought of this one too! You know it keeps us writers writing!

With love,

DCSR392.


	4. In a not-so-committed-relationship

Hi! Thank you for stopping by! The inspiration for this was drawn from a song too. I seem to be doing that a lot lately… Note that I had to increase the rating of the whole fic to T rating. Hope you like it!

 **Disclaimer:** not mine. I wish, but DC and its fantastic characters are not mine.

* * *

 **Title** : In a not-so-committed-relationship with Kudo Shinichi

 **Characters** : Shinichi and Ran

 **Summary** : "Look, I know what we can do. You can leave a toothbrush here."

 **Genre** : Romance

* * *

Something compelled Shinichi to wake up from his deep stupor. He felt relaxed, in peace, with his energy batteries at the fullest, as if he had been sleeping for an entire day. He yawned, stretched out his arms and legs and turned around, finding there the most probable source and reason for his wellbeing.

A tender smile tugged at his lips, a fuzzy feeling getting its way and settling in his stomach when remembering why he laid tangled in her sheets this morning, and not in his. He couldn't stop looking at her.

How had he gotten so lucky?

He couldn't resist brushing the strand of hair that was obstructing his view and leaving it behind her ear. He caressed her cheek, while she opened her eyes and groaned at the light entering the bedroom.

"Hi," he said in the sweetest voice he could muster.

She protested and turned around, showing him her back.

"Five more minutes," she murmured.

"Ran, it's already" he looked at his watch "11:48 am. I think we've had our fill."

"But I'm tired."

"Is it a _good_ kind of tired?" he asked, leering at her.

She could _hear_ the smile in his voice.

She turned around, facing him, her hand coming up to sweetly stroke his temple and cheek. Her mind took her down memory lane, reliving the events that had led them here.

Yesterday had been magical indeed. He had appeared at the doorstep of her flat with a big grin and a single red rose to offer her. He hadn't let go of her hand, and kept squeezing it at random intervals, while they strolled in that beautiful spring afternoon.

" _Where are you taking me?_ " Ran asked, curious. He had no apparent reason to be nervous. They had been dating for well over a year, so she didn't understand why he was acting like this.

" _You'll see._ "

She smiled knowingly when she saw that he had taken her the Beika Center Building Rooftop Restaurant. Like a true gentleman, he taken her seat out for her, and kept reaching for her hand across the table whenever he had the chance. Suspicion arose when she noticed that they were seated at the same table as the last time, but he hadn't shown any dark intentions, so she thought nothing of it.

" _Ran, taking you out to dinner wasn't my only goal tonight._ " He said with a grave face, requesting her full attention with just one look. He reached out to take her hands in his, and began stroking the back of her left hand with this thumb absent-mindedly. " _I love you, you know that. I love you more than anyone else in this world._ "

He sighed profusely, trying to gather all his nerve.

" _This last year that we've been together has been everything that I could have asked for. Sometimes I still can't believe that you forgave me for my_ little _ordeal. Even if we started dating in Kyoto, and you already knew there that I was Conan, I could never be really sure that you were going to accept all of me when I came back. I've lied, I've hurt you, I've been a jerk, and that was even before I was Conan… I don't know how you found it in your heart to forgive me, but you did, and I'm so glad that you did. I'm so happy that I can share this with you. I'm so thankful for every day, every little thing._ " He stopped to take a deep breath, gazing at her finally, getting a little lost in her eyes.

" _Shinichi, I…_ "

" _No, let me finish._ " He pleaded, knowing he would need every bit of courage to say the last part." _I love you, and I want to be able to love you every single day of my life. So I was wondering if you… Ran, I…_ " he let go of her hand to reach for something in his left pocket, presenting it on the table a moment after together with one of his most handsome and hopeful smiles." _Would you give me the honour of becoming your husband? Will you marry me, Ran?_ "

"Ran," she heard him say, pulling her out of her reverie.

She looked at him questioningly from her pillow, admiring his handsome face and dishevelled hair. A tiny part of her wanted to tame it a little bit, but the other didn't. She considered that was one of her best work of arts.

"Hm?"

"Have you thought about it? About what I asked you?" he whispered, somewhat shy.

At the moment, it had been hard to wrap her mind around the idea that Shinichi had just asked her to be his wife. If she was honest with herself, it still felt like a dream.

"Shinichi, I told you yesterday. I'm not going to marry you," she replied with a small smile, sighing, while she stroked his features. "Yet." Ran added when she saw he was opening his mouth to protest.

"But you will. Someday?" he asked again, with a hopeful grin on his face.

"Someday. Not yet." Ran replied with an amused smirk on her lips.

"But I want to marry you! I want to spoil you!"

"You can spoil me even if we're not married, Shinichi," she explained, as if she was telling a child how to behave. "In fact, it is your duty to spoil me as my boyfriend."

"But that's just it, I want to be more than your boyfriend! I need the world to know you're mine. You're mine, right?"

"I'm yours!" she exclaimed, perplexed that he was doubting such a thing.

"You're not seeing anyone else, aren't you?" he narrowed his eyes, attempting to appear serious, but the twinkle in his eyes told her he was just teasing.

"I won't even bother."

"Then, can I move here?" Shinichi asked, happy again, his hands moving under the sheets to cradle her waist.

"No! Isn't it enough that you're here every evening?" Ran counteracted, moving away from him.

"I want to spend every waking minute with you," he replied, aiming for her shoulders then to try to _shake_ some sense into her.

"But this is my flat," she stopped him. "And you know we wouldn't get anything done if you were living here," Ran said, raising an eyebrow.

"But Ran..." he whined.

"Look, I know what we can do. You can leave a toothbrush here." He wasn't convinced, and he let it show. "Oh, please, stop with the Conan face. That's the maximum level of commitment you're going to get."

"Okay," he sighed, defeated. "I'll take whatever I can get."

"Shinichi, I love you, I'm yours and you know it. It's just that I want to enjoy this, this sweet moment where we are now, where we can't take our hands off of each other and we're so much in love it's disgusting for others to see."

"I get it, I get it. But I missed you so much, and I've wanted this for so long. Even if I was Conan and I was at your side, I missed you, and now that I have you, I don't want to let you go."

Ran only smiled sweetly in return. She tried to kiss him in the corner of his mouth, but he grasped her waist and opened his mouth so she would follow. She couldn't have possibly refused any of his loving kisses. He was left breathless when they separated.

"Even if you said no, _not yet_ ," he corrected with a furrowed brow "I'm glad that I was able to do it, at least," he said, after coming down from the high provided by her kiss. "Now I only have to keep asking, because I know that you'll eventually say yes!" He grinned, ever the charmer.

"You _did_ know that, even if you hadn't asked yesterday. You were so anxious, and you didn't need to be," Ran said, leaving her hand on his heart and her head on his shoulder, while he pulled her body close to his.

"Well, it was no easy task. But still, I was rewarded," he grinned toothily again, waggling his eyebrows.

Her blush was evident. Unable to look up at his face, she kept tracing small circles in his chest, teasing the muscles there.

"I'm glad you stayed the night," she confessed, kissing his neck.

"I'm glad too. I certainly wasn't going to invite you to my house anytime soon," he laughed a little self-consciously.

"Why not?"

"I… I wanted you to be the one to make that call. I wanted you to be ready, and to do it when you felt like doing that," he confessed, running his fingers through her silky hair.

She did look up now, wanting to soak up all the love his eyes were showing. She didn't give him time to drink her in, like he wanted to do. She kissed him passionately, coming on top of him, while his hands were already fumbling to caress her back up and down. She deepened the kiss, opening her mouth to explore his with her tongue, rendering him into a puddle right there. He couldn't suppress the goose bumps that appeared when she moaned inside his mouth. She was taking everything she wanted from him, and he couldn't do nothing but to comply.

When his touches became a little more daring under the sheets, she withdrew and sat on her knees on the bed, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Well, I'm going to take a shower," she announced, wrapping the sheet around her as she made her way out of the bed.

Shinichi tried to stop her from taking it, but she was faster. She looked at him smugly, an eyebrow raised, seeing that he didn't even bother to hide.

"I will be making breakfast, then." He sighed dejectedly, sitting on the bed and looking for his underwear on the floor.

"Oh, don't you want to join me?" she asked smiling slyly, looking at him over her shoulder.

He stopped short, his blood already rushing elsewhere. He stood up from the bed, and she laughed openly when she saw his luscious grin coming closer.

He teased her with his lips at first, latching on her neck and collarbone, but Ran grabbed his face and crushed his lips with hers. That was no time to be playing around. He began kissing her mercilessly, pushing her against the cold wall, and she let go of the sheets to scratch the base of his skull, pulling him closer to her, while his hands were busy going to work.

"Will you marry me now?" he asked, recovering his bearings for a moment.

She shut him up expertly, in part because she didn't trust her voice to sound steady. She was so far gone.

"Will you?" he reiterated.

"Shut up!" she cried frustrated.

Damn him. She couldn't even think straight with his lips and hands touching her like that, and he apparently kept the clarity of mind to be asking her if she wanted to marry him. Well, she'd show him alright.

She kissed him senseless, preventing him from interrupting anymore. Her hands also began wandering, although she was beginning to feel weak in the knees with the wandering that _his_ hands were doing. Raw passion ignited like a flame, while they entered the bathroom between kisses and frantic tugs. He drew the first moans from her, her hands further exploring every inch of his body. He was finally invested in this moment, it seemed, and so she felt it was safe to get lost in that pleasurable fog. Maybe being in a not-so-committed-relationship with Kudo Shinichi wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

I'm sorry for the wait! I felt really bummed that _How would you feel?_ didn't get as much feedback as the other two chapters, because I really liked how it had turned out and I thought you would too... I'm sorry if it didn't live up to your expectations! And then life went on, and my muse took a break as well… You know how it goes.

And about this chapter, well, I really don't have any excuse. I've always thought that Shinichi attempting to propose to Ran, being only 16-year-olds, in the same day that he would supposedly have confessed his feelings to Ran, was a little too much (although I would have cried of happiness if he had, honestly). I see Ran as more level-headed, so being under their 20s in this fic, I thought that Ran could have answered _not yet_. What do you think?

Oh, I'm still working on that longer fic I mentioned before, but I don't want to say too much more in case my muse really abandons me and I end up not posting it. I have the plot more or less thought, but I need the time to write. I'll give it my best, though!

Nevertheless, I really hope you have enjoyed reading this short pointless fic. And please, do leave your opinion, or comments, or prompts or whatever in the box below! I would be very happy if you did, and it would also help me write some more ShinRan fluff! Thank you! :)

With love,

DCSR392.


	5. Waiting for you

(Entering quietly…) Hi! I'm back! What? I'm back? OMG, I can't believe it! After more than a year and being really ashamed of myself, I think I'm back. I'll let you enjoy this little experiment, and I'll continue rambling at the end…

 **Disclaimer:** not mine. I wish, but DC and its fantastic characters are not mine.

* * *

 **Title** : Waiting for you

 **Characters** : Shinichi and Ran

 **Summary** : A year after Conan, it's still difficult to broach the subject.

 **Genre** : Romance, Hurt and Comfort

* * *

"Oh! I'm sorry! Are you okay?" said Ran, holding onto the arm of the person that had just bumped into her.

"No, sorry, it's my fault‒" a pause, his eyes growing big. "Ran?"

"Hi, Shinichi" she murmured, a bashful smile tugging behind shy eyes. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking. Did I hurt you?"

"No, no, don't worry," Shinichi responded, eyeing warily the group of people that was behind Ran, watching their exchange closely.

"We were just leaving," Ran blurted out, seeing how Shinichi was wondering about her companions, and noticing that he was all alone. "It was nice seeing you. Bye," she smiled.

"You too," he said, advancing into the bar so he could let them leave.

He never looked back, and neither did she. He was not in the mood for a beer anymore.

[…]

"I know why you come here every Friday night," announced the bartender, a brow knitted.

" _Barou_ , you don't know a thing," Shinichi replied, chugging a gulp of his gin and tonic.

"Just the fact that you're denying it —and the blush, mind you— is telling me all I need to know," Takeshi leered.

"I don't have to tell you anything," Shinichi reiterated, hoping he would drop the matter.

"No, you don't," he smiled knowingly. "But I'm an observer, just like you. My first clue is that, ever since you bumped at the door into a beautiful young lady three weeks ago, you have been coming here more than once a week. You've never failed to come on Fridays, and I think it's just because she happened to be here on a Friday night as well. Also, today's Friday, and you've been eyeing the door every five seconds," the bartender enumerated, looking at the young detective with an amused smile. Seeing that Shinichi was not showing even the slightest irritation, he grew serious. "Wanna talk about it? It's fine if you don't, but you look like you might want to."

Shinichi sighed, and took down another chug. His throat was suddenly desert dry.

"She is —was— special," Shinichi conceded. "We were childhood friends. I thought we loved each other, but I did something, and..." he trailed off.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I thought we could survive it but, in the end, I was a bastard to her, and I got what I deserved. It's okay. She seemed happy, that's what matters."

"Hm," Takeshi nodded. "Another one?"

"Please."

[…]

"You should go talk to him," Juri suggested, seeing as Ran's eyes were constantly fleeting towards a handsome young man seated at the bar.

"You know why I can't," Ran responded. "It would not be fair to him. He has moved on, he's fine, he's got his superstar life as a detective and a ghost from his past should not get in the way of that."

"Do you really believe that?" Juri nearly screamed, quieting her voice so that she wouldn't grab the attention of the whole bar. "Just look at him! The guy's miserable! That's not the Kudo Shinichi-ace detective persona that the media is trying to sell. You've told me your story, and I know he needs you, just as much as you need him. Conan happened one year ago, Ran…"

"I know, but," Ran sighed, defeated. "I'm not strong enough. I can't get hurt like that again."

"So, it's not about him. It's about you."

"Maybe."

"You've forgiven him," Juri stated, glad that Ran's walls were beginning to crumble. "You don't know how to‒"

"Can we please drop it? This last semester was awful, and I've had my fill of drama for a month," Ran replied, drinking the last of her gin and lemon.

"So why do we come _here_ every other Friday?"

Ran pretended she hadn't heard her. She did know well enough why.

[…]

"She just left," Takeshi announced.

"Gosh, here we go again," Shinichi said, rolling his eyes.

"She never took her eyes off of you."

"Why are you telling me?"

"Hoping to lift your spirits, I guess," Takeshi retorted, going back to drying off some cups.

Shinichi knew Takeshi-san meant right, but sometimes he ought to keep his thoughts to himself… However, it did lift his spirits. Just a smidgen.

[…]

"Ran, come dance!"

"Wait, Atsushi-kun!"

He didn't wait. Atsushi grabbed Ran's hand and pulled her up from her seat, and they walked to the little dance floor in the middle of the room. Not five minutes had gone by that he was leaning in beside her ear.

"Aren't you thirsty?"

"Well, now that you mention it."

"Let's go talk to Takeshi. He's the absolute best."

Ran nodded and began walking to the bar where Takeshi was fixing some drinks for another group, Atsushi-kun just behind her.

"Excuse me, could I have two gin and lemon, please?" she asked Takeshi when she got there, sitting at a stool just for a moment.

"Oi, the usual," said a masculine voice just beside her, as its owner took off his jacket and sat on the stool beside hers.

Ran felt how her heart skipped a beat, and it just felt as if someone had ripped it apart from her. Shinichi locked eyes with her, equally horrified, the colour draining from his face.

"I'm sorry. You go ahead," he remedied it.

"No, don't worry about it. Thank you. Takeshi-san, could I have two gin and lemon?"

"Two?" the bartender asked coming to meet her, surprised.

Ran was looking even more confounded that he was asking, not really understanding the situation, and so Shinichi felt compelled to explain.

"Your‒," he gulped. "Boyfriend just left and‒"

"Oh, no, Atsushi-kun is a just friend," she smiled, finally understanding. "He left, huh?" Ran wondered, looking around and finding Atsushi at the dancefloor with Juri. She got the feeling that she had been set up, but she let it go just as quickly. "Just one, then," she informed Takeshi.

"Coming right up," the bartender smiled. "Shinichi-kun, the usual?"

The young detective nodded.

After three seconds, the air was so tight that it was suffocating Ran. Not even Takeshi giving them their drinks put a stop to it. She couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Anyway, Atsushi-kun, I think he's more interested in Takeshi-san, to be honest," she chuckled, hoping to break the ice. "How are you doing?" Ran asked, hoping to sound casual.

"I'm fine," he didn't elaborate. Even if he hadn't been avoiding her eyes, she knew right away he was lying just by the inflexion of his voice. "You?"

When he didn't get a reply, he grabbed his jacket and got up from the stool, scared. "Sorry, I'll be out of your hair‒".

"No, stay," Ran said, gripping his arm. It took her two seconds to realise that she had said those words, that she was grabbing him and that it hadn't been the tiny amount of alcohol in her veins talking. She _really_ wanted him to stay.

"You sure?" Shinichi asked, wary, not letting himself believe that this was happening. Yet.

"Yes, I think so," she smiled, and grew pensive for a moment. "Yes, I'd like that very much" she beamed in the end.

He hadn't ever really needed a reminder of why and how he was so head over heels in love with her, but there it was.

[…]

"And so how did you know that the culprit was the sister?" asked Ran, one Friday night.

"Intuition, I guess…" answered Shinichi, drumming his fingertips on the counter.

"I don't believe that for a second," she snorted.

"Of course, we eventually found the knife near her office so…" his voice trailed off, uncomfortable. "And how are your classes?" Shinichi asked, wanting to change the subject. That had been a nasty case and he didn't need a reminder.

"Law theory is okay, but I'm already dreading finance and tax law. My _intuition_ tells me I'm not going to enjoy those," Ran laughed.

"Yours was always better than mine."

"It was, wasn't it?"

"Would have saved me from a lot of trouble if I had listened to you sometimes," Shinichi admitted, with a warm smile.

"It's never too late," Ran smiled back.

She felt daring and took his hand in hers, above the counter.

It took them by surprise when Takeshi announced he was closing the bar for the night.

[…]

"Thanks for walking me home," Ran said when they arrived at the stairs of the Detective Agency.

"You're welcome."

A pause.

"Ran‒"

"I know what you're going to ask, but give me time, please," Ran pleaded. "I know you want to talk about it, but… I'm having a hard time putting every piece together, and‒"

"I understand. I'm sorry I ever hurt you like that."

"It will fade. I know your heart was in the right place," she smiled, searching for his hand to squeeze it briefly.

"But it still hurts."

"Yes. It still hurts."

[…]

"By the way, congratulations on winning your match," Shinichi said, lifting his cup as if he were making a toast.

"Thank you," Ran acknowledged, flashing a proud smile his way, her every pore radiating happiness. "Don't know if I should tell you, but I actually thought she was you at that final punch."

Shinichi coughed and spit his drink, but recovered quickly.

"Glad to be of service," he laughed, accepting the dangerous joke. "I'm here if you need to release any more stamina."

"Maybe another time I'll take you up on that offer. Be careful, tantei-san," she threatened.

"Honestly. I'm here," he assured.

"Thank you," Ran smiled warmly. "Dance?" she asked, leaving the stool.

"Nah, you go ahead with your classmates. I'll be here."

"Got a case to crack?"

"Something like that," Shinichi answered, his lips pursing into a tight line.

Ran understood.

"Okay. See you around."

"See you, Ran."

[…]

Ran smiled upon seeing the image presented before her. Shinichi, the almighty detective, was sleeping soundly with his head on his forearms on the counter. She felt compelled to wake him up, but a voice beside her alerted her.

"He was waiting for you, but that last case was tough, apparently," Takeshi informed.

"Hm. It's not always easy, his job," Ran accepted.

"He's fond of you."

"I know," she conceded.

"He _is_ waiting for you."

Those five words strummed her heartstrings, evoking painful but beautiful memories. She had been waiting for him too, a long time ago, but now that he was here, she couldn't gather the courage.

She couldn't resist running her fingers through his thick hair, and noticed how his breathing deepened upon her touch.

Searching in her heart, she didn't know why she was waiting anymore.

[…]

"Oh, I was so mad at you!" Ran laughed, her eyes closing in delight.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just didn't know why you were calling, and I just assumed!" Shinichi replied, smirking, equally happy.

"You wouldn't believe you're such a good detective sometimes, but then others…"

"Yes, well, I'm not perfect‒"

"Who are you and what have you done with Kudo Shinichi?" Ran mocked him, laughing when she saw the monumental blush that was spreading around his cheeks.

"I'm just older and wiser," he tried to defend himself.

" _That_ you are. You haven't mentioned Sherlock Holmes a single time, and we've been here for more than an hour…" Ran conceded, drinking a gulp from her drink.

She was hoping he would fire back to tease her, but silence ensued. Finally, it felt too much for Shinichi. They had been dancing around the subject just enough times. He exploded.

"Ran, could we talk about‒?"

"Shinichi," she sighed, interrupting him. "These few days we've been meeting have been nice, but I'm not ready yet. I'm sorry."

"I understand. It's just‒"

When he couldn't continue, she filled the gap for him. They still had that connection, it seemed.

"I've missed you too."

And when she hugged him and he let himself rest his head on her shoulder, he breathed her in and locked her fragrance in his lungs for the days to come. He felt like he would need it. It felt as if the sun had just broken through an endless flock of clouds.

"Thank you," he whispered.

He felt he was healing.

"See you soon," she smiled, letting go.

[…]

"You were doing so well," Takeshi said. "What happened?"

"Well, I broached the subject of why we broke up," Shinichi replied, twirling his drink.

"I'm sorry."

"I did scare her this time. It's been a month since."

"She'll come around; you'll see."

If Shinichi murmured a quiet " _I hope_ ", only the glass above his lips could have heard it.

[…]

"Hey," a feminine voice said just behind him, anxiously. "Is this seat taken?"

Shinichi didn't need to look at its owner to know who she was, but he did spin around his stool to greet her.

"You know it's not," he replied with a little smirk, willing his heart to calm down.

"I'm sorry I disappeared like that, Shinichi," she declared without any preamble, sitting. "We had a lot of homework and classes and I've been getting home super late‒"

"It's fine, Ran. You don't need to apologise."

Judging by the way he smiled, she knew she was forgiven even if he had been hurt by her actions. She acknowledged that and nodded, but directed her eyes towards the bartender right after.

"Takeshi-san, please, something strong."

That did surprise Shinichi.

"Extra rough week?" he wondered aloud, not really used to the idea of Ran drinking _something_ _strong_ at 18 years old.

"Not exactly."

Takeshi left the glass in front of her, and she made a face when the drink went down her throat. She wasn't used to that either.

"Then what?"

Ran sighed and faced him, her usual determination never leaving her eyes.

"You were right," Ran opened up. "I've been avoiding you, because I didn't want to confront this, because I'm scared right out of my mind of everything I'm feeling, but I just can't take this anymore‒"

"Ran, I'm sorry‒".

"No, Shinichi, you don't understand. _You_ 're not hurting me. _I_ 'm hurting myself" she emphasised "denying this, and I'm hurting you because of my selfishness, and I miss you, and I miss what we had and I'm sorry that I didn't have the courage sooner. Could you forgive me?"

He was struck speechless, but his body reacted for him.

He got up from the stool and pulled her up with him. His arms went around her and embraced her tightly, much more than the last time she had held him. He noticed how she was shocked at first and gradually relaxed, and she hid her face on his chest to listen to his erratic beating, while her hands travelled around his waist and he settled his on her back. He couldn't tell who needed the embrace the most.

"I don't have anything to forgive. You had every right to be mad at me, or to never talk to me again, or to never forgive me for lying to you," he smiled warmly, looking at her crown.

"But I hurt you by being stubborn," Ran retorted, finally surfacing and looking at him in the eyes. "You did the best you could in the situation you were forced in."

"I made the mistake of leaving you alone at Tropical Land, and I'll never forgive _myself_ for it," Shinichi replied, running a hand through her hair. "But you know I've learned my lesson. Now you know that I'll listen to you and take you with me if necessary, so you can kick the bad guys' ass into oblivion," he laughed.

"You'd better, tantei-san," Ran smiled, hiding her face again in his chest.

They remained like that a little more, just rejoicing, until Shinichi had to open his big mouth.

"You're such a cry-baby," he teased her, feeling the moisture gathering on his chest.

"Shut up," Ran said, separating from him.

Suddenly, she grabbed his face and lowered it until she could plant her lips on his. Innocently, Ran brushed her lips on his and stayed there, giving him the opportunity to kiss her back.

When he didn't, she separated from him to look into his eyes.

"Who's laughing now?" Ran asked amusedly, laughing at his expression. "At a loss for words? That bad, huh?" When she still got no answer, she grew preoccupied. "Do you wanna dance? Maybe it'll get the circuits going?"

Ran dragged him to the dance floor, and it finally clicked into Shinichi's brain that this was indeed happening. Ran had forgiven him, and she was pleading forgiveness now. He let himself be dominated by her love, her mouth and her eagerness. At the moment, no more words were needed, but they understood each other to perfection.

Coming up for air, Ran leaned in.

"Shinichi, I have to confess one other thing."

"Hm," he responded, still a little bit dazed.

"I'm sorry but, ever since the beginning, I already knew you came here after your cases. I saw you coming here one day, and I really wanted to see you, so I did insist to my friends that we come here for a drink after classes. But then I didn't want to talk to you, and then I did, and I don't know... I'm sorry. I didn't know how to get close to you."

He shut her up expertly. Shinichi remembered he had been shy at some point, but he didn't care anymore. Just being surrounded by Ran's warmth, her essence, and their mouths dancing to the most delightful of the dances to ever exist was enough. Her lips were the sweetest pleasure, and he would have never had enough of them. Whenever she separated, he came back with a vengeance.

"By the way, I know you're dying to, so I'm willing to listen to you blab about Sherlock Holmes non-stop starting now. Can you believe that I missed that too?"

Shinichi laughed out loud and pulled her close. They could have been the last two people on the planet, and it wouldn't have mattered. They danced and kissed the night away.

If Ran or Shinichi noticed how Takeshi and Atsushi exchanged knowing looks, smiles or a thumbs up signal throughout all the night, neither did indicate it.

* * *

So! Two really exciting things have happened since the last time I dropped by. First, I'm engaged (yay!), but really no idea when we're going to tie the knot. Second, I recently got my PhD in Advanced Immunology! That right there is the murderer of my muse and my will to live, but I'm so happy to be done with it and to be here once again.

This little idea attacked me just after my thesis defence and wouldn't stop until I wrote it. I know it's weird compared to the other fics I've written (not so much description), but I don't know. It just flowed better like this. I don't know if I like it yet, so I thought it was better to let you judge. Hope you enjoyed it! By the way, there are two quotes of Fantastic Beasts, just because. Maybe you can spot them?

I'm warning you: I will be reading all the beautiful fics that have popped up recently and leaving a so well-deserved review. And _Run_ should be coming along shortly. Aaah, so excited to be back!

Thank you for waiting for me :)

With love,

DCSR392.


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